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Stretch Wrapping Articles

Blown vs Cast Stretch Film: What Is the Difference?

June 14, 2026 — Lê Văn Thăng

Blown vs cast stretch film compared: process, strength, clarity, noise on release, holding force, pre-stretch and when to choose each.

Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 24/2026

Blown and cast stretch film are two manufacturing processes: blown film is made by inflating a tube of plastic with air and cooling it in air, giving strong, two-sided-cling film; cast film is extruded through a flat die and chilled fast on a cold roller, giving clear, quiet film that pre-stretches well. Both are PE film but behave quite differently.

What is blown film?

Plastic is extruded into a tube and inflated like a bubble, then air-cooled. The slow cooling creates a tangled molecular structure, giving high tear and puncture resistance, two-sided cling and strong holding force for heavy, sharp-edged loads. Downsides: hazy (less clear), noisy to unwind, and more expensive.

What is cast film?

Plastic is extruded through a flat die and instantly chilled on a cold roller. Fast cooling gives very clear film with even thickness, smooth stretch and high pre-stretch - ideal for automatic wrappers. Cast film unwinds quietly, has one-sided cling (easier cling-side control) and usually costs less than blown film of the same thickness.

Blown vs cast comparison

Criterion Blown film Cast film
Tear/puncture strength High Medium
Clarity Hazy Very clear
Noise on release Noisy Quiet
Cling sides Two-sided One-sided
Pre-stretch capability Lower High
Price Higher Lower
Best for Heavy, sharp-edged, hand wrap Automatic wrappers, see-through needs

When to choose which

Choose cast film for most machine pallet wrapping: clear, quiet, high pre-stretch, low cost per pallet. Choose blown film for very heavy or sharp-edged loads needing high tear/puncture resistance, or when maximum holding force matters more than clarity. In Vietnam, cast film is the most common for industrial pallet wrapping.

What ICD offers

ICD supplies stretch film in both cast and blown, many thicknesses, plus suitable wrapping machines, advising on the right film for your goods and wrapping line.

More on stretch film & wrapping

Topic pillar

What is containment force?

In-depth analysis articles

What is pre-stretch? Stretch film thickness (micron/gauge)
How to choose stretch film How to operate a pallet wrapper
Choosing an automatic pallet wrapper PE film packaging terms
What is a unit load? Tare, net & gross weight

Frequently asked questions

How do blown and cast stretch film differ?

Blown film is air-inflated, strong, two-sided cling but hazy and noisy; cast film is roller-chilled, clear, quiet, one-sided cling and pre-stretches well.

Which is better for automatic wrappers?

Cast film, because it is clear, even, stretches smoothly and pre-stretches highly at low cost per pallet - ideal for automated lines.

Which has better tear and puncture resistance?

Blown film, thanks to its tangled molecular structure from slow cooling - better for heavy, sharp-edged loads.

Is cast film cheaper than blown?

Usually cheaper at the same thickness and more common for industrial pallet wrapping in Vietnam.

Is one-sided or two-sided cling better?

It depends: two-sided (blown) clings firmly all around; one-sided (cast) makes cling-side control easier, avoiding sticking to unwanted surfaces.

Does ICD sell blown or cast film?

ICD supplies both in many thicknesses, advising by goods and wrapping line, plus suitable wrapping machines.

Contact ICD Vietnam

ICD Vietnam Industrial Manufacturing Co., Ltd - pallets, plastic crates, stretch film, forklifts and packaging solutions.

Hotline: 0983 797 186 / 090 345 9186
Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn | Zalo: Chat on Zalo


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